![]() Though 'yari' is a catchall term for 'spear', it is usually distinguished between 'kama yari', which have additional horizontal blades, and simple 'su yari' ( choku-sō) or straight spears. This type of blade could cut as well as stab and was sharpened like a razor edge. The most common blade was a straight, flat design that resembles a straight-bladed double edged dagger. ![]() Various types of yari points or blades existed. Straight yari ( su yari), detail view blade is about 1 shaku (approx. A sheath ( saya 鞘) was also part of a complete yari. Yari shafts were often decorated with inlays of metal or semiprecious materials such as brass pins, lacquer, or flakes of pearl. These in turn were often wrapped in metal rings or wire ( dogane), and affixed with a metal pommel ( ishizuki 石突) on the butt end. The shaft ( nagaye or ebu) came in many different lengths, widths, and shapes made of hardwood and covered in lacquered bamboo strips, these came in oval, round, or polygonal cross section. The tang protruded into a reinforced hollow portion of the handle ( tachiuchi or tachiuke) resulting in a very stiff shaft making it nearly impossible for the blade to fall or break off. Yari blades often had an extremely long tang ( nakago 中心) typically it would be longer than the sharpened portion of the blade. Throughout history many variations of the straight yari blade were produced, often with protrusions on a central blade. The blades were made of the same steel ( tamahagane) from which traditional Japanese swords and arrowheads were forged, and were very durable. Yari were characterized by a straight blade that could be anywhere from several centimeters to 3 feet (0.91 m) or more in length. Omi yari (large spear), Tokyo national museum. During the peaceful Edo period, yari were still produced (sometimes even by renowned swordsmiths), although they existed mostly as either a ceremonial weapon or as a police weapon. Greater emphasis was placed on small-scale, close quarters combat, so the convenience of swords led to their dominance, and polearms and archery lost their practical value. With the coming of the Edo period the yari had fallen into disuse. One of The Three Great Spears of Japan, the Nihongō ( ja:日本号) was treasured as a gift, and its ownership changed to Emperor Ogimachi, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Fukushima Masanori, and so on, and has been handed down to the present day. For example, Honda Tadakatsu was famous as a master of one of The Three Great Spears of Japan, the Tonbokiri (蜻蛉切). Not only ashigaru but also samurai fought on the battlefield with yari as one of their main weapons. Pikemen formed a two- or three-row line, and were trained to move their pikes in unison under command. ![]() They formed lines, combined with soldiers bearing firearms tanegashima and short spears. Īround the latter half of the 16th century, ashigaru holding pikes ( nagae yari) with length of 4.5 to 6.5 m (15 to 21 ft) became the main forces in armies. This made naginata and tachi obsolete on the battlefield, and they were often replaced with nagamaki and short, lightweight katana. ![]() However, after the Onin War in 15th century in the Muromachi period, large-scale group battles started in which mobilized ashigaru (foot troops) fought on foot and in close quarters, and yari, yumi (longbow) and tanegashima (Japanese matchlock) became the main weapons. In the Nanbokuchō period, battles on foot by groups became the mainstream and the importance of naginata further increased, but yari were not yet the main weapon. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their significantly longer reach, lighter weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. They moved in large units to stave off cavalry. The Mongols employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielding long pikes and fought in tight formations. The attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 12 was one of the factors that changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. In the late Heian period, battles on foot began to increase and naginata, a polearm, became a main weapon along with a yumi (longbow). The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for commoners it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who would challenge each other via horseback archery. The term 'yari' appeared for the first time in written sources in 1334, but this type of spear did not become popular until the late 15th century. These hoko yari are thought to be from the Nara period (710–794). ![]() The forerunner of the yari is thought to be a hoko yari derived from a Chinese spear. Ukiyo-e print of a samurai general holding a yari in his right hand ![]()
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